Porous non-woven laminated fabrics



1965 M. T. HOFFMAN 3,201,300

7 POROUS NON-WOVEN LAMINATED FABRICS Filed June 5, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

RAW m Aug. 17, 1965 M. T. HOFFMAN POROUS NON-WOVEN LAMINATED FABRICS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1961 INVENTOR. Jun MU WWI Mm BY MAMA/m W United States Patent PGRWUS NUN-WGVEN LAMEJATED FABRICS Maufred'ii. Hoffman, 137 High fit, Newbnryport, Mass. Filed June 5, 1961, Ser. No. 114,958 The portion of the term of the patent subsequent to Nov. 27, 1978, has been disclaimed 4 Claims. (Cl. lob-62) This invention has reference to non-Woven fabrics.

The present patent application is a continuation-in-part of my copending patent application Ser. No. 805,077, filed April 8, 1959 now United States Patent 3,010,180, issued Nov. 28, 1961, which, in turn, is a continuation-inpart of my application Ser. No. 711,252, filed January 27, 1958, for Elastic Non-Woven Fabric and Method of Producing the Same, now United States Patent 2,951,278.

it is a general object of this invention to provide a novel and improved kind of porous non-woven fabric.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel and improved fabrics suitable for wearing apparel.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel and improved fabrics wherein fibers are held in position by means of elastic forces.

Another object of this invention is to provide fabrics adapted, in some instances, to take the place of conventional tufted fabrics which are more expensive to produce.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize the invention will be pointed out.

For a better understanding of the invention the process for manufacturing the novel product as well as the prod uct will be described hereinafter in connection with the drawings wherein P16. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of machinery used in the process of making non-woven laminated fabrics according to this invention and showing successive steps involved in the process;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic section on a large scale of a non-woven fabric; 7

FIG. 3 is a section diagrammatically illustrating a product derived from that shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an isometric view on a large scale of a small element of a non-woven fabric of the kind shown in FIG. 2, and

FIGS. 5a and 5b are, respectively, a section through, and a top-plan view of, a laminated non-woven fabric embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, numeral 1 has been applied to indicate a supply roll of an iso-elastic sheet material, i.e. a sheet material having substantially the same elastic properties in all directions which are situated in the plane of the sheet. Roll ii is a supply roll of non-woven fabric made up of random. oriented fibers in sheet-form including elastic spot-bonds limited substantially to cross-over points of fibers. The elongated sheet 2 is being unwound from supply roll l and may be supported by a table 3. Numeral 4- in FIG. 1 designates a supply roll of a nonelastic open fabric or netting 5 which is being continuously superimposed upon the isoelastic sheet 2 and moved at the same rate and in the same direction as sheet 2. There is a loose physical engagement between open fabric 5 and sheet .2. The supply roll 6 comprises a sheet, mat or fleece 7 of relatively loose fibers which are deposited upon the open fabric 5 and upon iso-elastic sheet 2. A garnetting machine, or other relatively loose fiber depositing means, may take the place of supply roll 6. The sandwich comprised of coextensive layers 2, 5 and 7 is then fed to a needle loom of conventional design,

generally indicated by reference character 8. Needle loom 8 comprises a horizontal surface horizontally supporting sheet 2, open fabric 5 and the sheet, mat or fleece taken from roll 6. N edle loom 8 punches constituent fibers of layer 7 through the open fabric 5 and through the sheet 2 to form an integral fabric including portions of fibers projecting through iso-elastic sheet 2. These portions or bunches of fibers have been indicated in FIG. 2 by reference character 7a. Portions 7a are instantly clampedin position by the iso-elastic forces inherent in sheet 2, acting at right angles to said portions 7a. Vectors V shown in FIG. 2 represent the elastic clamping or pinching forces by which the portions 7a of fibrous layer or mat 7 are held in place.

The non-elastic open fabric 5 may be omitted, if desired, i.e. its provision is optional. If the open fabric 5 is needle loomed or punched to the sheet 2. the stretchability of the latter is limited, as required for a number of apparel applications. During the manufacturing process of the laminated fabric to which reference numeral 9 has been applied in FIG. 1 the open fabric 5 is held in loose physical engagement with the iso-elastic sheet 2. The open fabric 5 is secured to sheet 2 merely by the punching action of the needle loom 8, thus dispensing with any additional means such as, for instance, adhesives, for attaching the open fabric 5 to sheet 2.

The integral fabric 9 may be turned over, covered by anoth r layer of relatively loose fibers which layer may then be secured to the fabric 9 by passing the latter for a second time through a needle loom. Such a product including clamping layer 2 and a pair of layers 7 of relatively loose interlocking fibers has been diagrammatically shown in FIG. 3, wherein layer 2 is shown to be sandwiched between layers 7.

Iso-elastic fibrous sheets may be made of any kind of fibers, natural or synthetic, as long as the fibers are in cardable form. Cardable fibers may be formed in a card into thin Webs in which the fibers are preponderantly oriented in a direction longitudinally thereof. Several such webs may be superimposed in angular relation. In a fleece formed by appropriate angular superposition of webs with preponderantly oriented fibers the fibers extend substantially in random directions. One refers to such a fleece as a fleece wherein the fibers are polyposed. A fleece comprising polyposed fibers may be impregnated as, for instance, by spraying with an aqueous disperson or emulsion of a rubber. When the dispersion or emulsion of rubber is dried and vulcanized the rubber deposits primarily at the crossing points, or cross-over points, of the constituent polyposed fibers, and then imparts substantial iso-elastioity to the fleece. The resulting iso-elasti c fleece retains substantially all the interstices originally formed between the constituent fibers thereof. In other words, such a fleece combines a high degree of porosity with isoelasticity. The aqueous dispersion or emulsion of a rubber, i.e. a rubberlike elastomer, may not only be applied by spraying, but also in any other fashion well known in the art of making non-woven rubberized fleece materials. The iso-elastic fibrous fleece may then be further processed in the same way as above described in connection with FIGS. 1-4 wherein the iso-elastic layer 2 is a nonwoven rubberized fleece.

If desired the fleece may be further impregnated with a suitable plastic in liquid form before being passed through the needle loom.

The aqueous dispersion of emulsion used for forming the fleece structurewh0se elasticity is caused by spot-binding of fibers at cross-over points and which is characterized by its large interstices between fibersrnay include about 25% by weight natural rubber. Other ingredients may be added to that dispersion or emulsion as, for instance, wetting agents, or antioxidants.

The final product formed by placing a sheet of relatively loose fibers on an iso-elastic fleece and punching the fibers through the fleece by means of a needle loom may have a thickness from about up to A. Such a product has an aggregate thickness and a drape adapting the same for application in wearing apparel.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 5a and 5b the laminated non-woven fabric shown therein comprises an iso-elastic base layer 2. Layer 2 is a non-woven substantially open fleece made up of random oriented fibers and including elastic tie means or elastic spot-bonds 1 between the constituent fibers thereof substantially localized at the cross-over points of said constituent fibers. Tie means 1 may be formed by droplets of vulcanized latex, or any other elastic means substantially restricted to cross-over points of fibers imparting like iso-elastic properties to the fleece as droplets of vulcanized latex. Fleece 2' is being passed through a needle loom after a coextensive layer of relatively loose fibers has been deposited thereon. When fleece 2; is passed through the needle loom the constituent fibers 7 of said layer are punched through fleece 2' and then form with fleece 2' an integral fabric including portions 7a of fibers projecting substantially at right angles through fieece 2'. These portions are clamped in position by the iso-elastic forces in fleece 2' acting at right angles to portions 7a.

In all embodiments of the invention which have been described above a lining layer of relatively loose fibers is attached to another layer, or clamping layer, at a plurality of spaced discrete points only. Those fibers of the lining layer which are not punched through the base or clamping layer are affixed to the latter by interlocking with fibers which are punched through, and clamped in position by, the base or clamping layer.

A product according to this invention which includes an inner iso-elastic base or clamping layer and a pair of outer lining layers composed of relatively loose fibers may be obtained either by two sequential needling operations each for affixing one lining layer to one side of the base layer or clamping layer, or by one single needling opera tion integrating all three lamations or layers into a unitary textile structure. Both possibilities have been evaluated in my above referred-to United States Patent 2,951,278, and reference may be had to that patent for additional information as to this point. In both instances each of the two lining layers includes fibers, or bunches of fibers, which project substantially at right angles through the base layer or clamping layer and are clamped in position by the iso-elastic forces inherent in that layer.

The product shown in FIGS. 5a and 5b can readily be converted into a more flutfy product comprising an iso-elastic layer 7 sandwiched between a pair of coextensive lining layers 2' of relatively loose fibers.

While the invention has been described according to preferred embodiments thereof it will be understood that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover such possible changes and modifications.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A porous non-woven laminated fabric comprising an iso-elastic base layer consisting of random oriented fibers and including elastic spot-bonds substantially limited to cross-over points of said fibers; a first lining layer of relatively loose fibers superimposed upon and coextensive with one side of said base layer, said first lining layer including fibers projecting substantially at position by a clamping action resulting from stresses in said spot-bonds; said base layer and said first lining layer and said second lining layer jointly forming an integral sandwich structure by virtue of said clamping action of said base layer; and the thickness of said integral sandwich structure and the drape thereof adapting the same for use in wearing apparel.

2. A porous non-woven laminated fabric comprising an iso-elastic inner clamping layer consisting of random oriented fibers and including elastic spot-bonds subastanially limited to cross-over points of said fibers and a pair of outer layers of relatively loose fibers each attached to and coextensive with one side of said inner clamping layer, each of said pair of outer layers consisting substantially of bunches of fibers each projecting substantially at right angles through said clamping layer at one single point thereof and each being held in position by the clamping action thereof resulting from stresses in said spot-bonds, and the thickness of said clamping layer and of said pair of outer layers and the drape thereof adapting said laminate for use in wearing apparel.

3. A porous non-woven textile product comprising a first layer of a non-woven iso-elastic fabric, said first layer consisting of carded webs superimposed in angular relation including a vulcanized aqueous dispersion of a rubber compound deposited preponderantly at the cross ing points of the constituent fibers of said first layer; a second layer of relatively loose fibers projecting substantially transversely through said first layer and clamped in position at the points of intersection with said first layer by the elastic forces resulting from stresses in said rubber compound in said first layer; and the aggregate thickness and aggregate pliability of said first and second layer adapting said product for application in Wearing apparel.

4. A porous non-woven laminated fabric comprising an inner highly porous layer of random oriented fibers including elastic spot-bonds limited substantially to the cross-over points of the constituent fibers of said inner layer, rendering said inner layer iso-elastic, and outer layers sandwiching said inner layer, said outer layers consisting substantially of loose fibers having points intermediate the ends thereof projecting at right angles'tbrough said inner layer and being held in position by the clamping action of said inner layer resulting from stresses in said spot-bonds, the length of the constituent fibers of said outer layers far exceeding the thickness of said inner layer and the aggregate thickness of said inner layer and said outer layers and the drape thereof adapting said laminate for use in wearing apparel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,429,486 10/47 Reinhardt 16l160 2,5 80,20 2 12/51 Talalay et a1. 161-82 2,636,460 4/53 Siederman 15672 2,951,278 9/60 Hoifman 28-72.2 2,970,365 2/61 Morgenstern 165-148 3,022,813 2/62 Glover 156148 EARL M. BERGERT, Primary Examiner. 

1. A POROUS NON-WOVEN LAMINATED FABRIC COMPRISING AN ISO-ELASTIC BASE LAYER CONSISTING OF RANDOM ORIENTED FIBERS AND INCLUDING ELASTIC SPOT-BONDS SUBSTANTIALLY LIMITED TO CROSS-OVER POINTS OF SAID FIBERS; A FIRST LINING LAYER OF RELATIVELY LOOSE FIBERS SUPERIMPOSED UPON AND COEXTENSIVE WITH ONE SIDE OF SAID BASE LAYER, SAID FIRST LINING LAYER INCLUDING FIBERS PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THROUGH SAID BASE LAYER AND BEING HELD IN POSITION BY A CLAMPING ACTION OF SAID BASE LAYER RESULTING FROM STRESSES IN SAID SPOT-BONDS; A SECOND LINING LAYER OF RELATIVELY LOOSE FIBERS SUPERIMPOSED UPON AND COESTENSIVE WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID BASE LAYER, SAID SECOND LINING LAYER INCLUDING FIBERS PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLY AT RIGHT ANGLES THROUGH SAID BASE LAYER AND BEING HELD IN 